Army Sgt. Aaron J Blasjo

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Aaron J Blasjo, 25, of Riverside, Calif.

Sgt Blasjo was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 29, 2011 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Capt. Joseph W. Schultz and Staff Sgt. Martin R. Apolinar.

Sgt Blasjo was a member of a Special Forces canine unit. Both he and his dog, Hunter, were killed in the attack.


Determined to be in the Special Forces, Sgt Blasjo entered the Army after graduating from Ramona High School in 2004.


After completing basic training and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group where he completed the Special Forces course in December 2006.



In 2009, Sgt Blasjo married Crystal Thompkins. They had a son, Talon, just 5 weeks before Sgt Blasjo deployed May 1, 2011. This was his third deployment to Afghanistan.



Uncle Darrel Blasjo said Aaron was able to hold his own against his much larger uncle when they wrestled on the living room floor of his parent's house.



The playful wrestling matches were a longstanding tradition between Darrell and his nephew. "I always used to tease him," Darrell said. "I'd wrestle with him and pin him down and pretend I was going to give him mouth-to-mouth. He hated that."

May 30, 2011

To my beloved son Aaron Joseph Blasjo a fine son, wonderful father, loving husband, and a courageous soldier. It is with a very heavy heart and through teary eyes that I try to write to my son who is now in heaven with our heavenly father smiling down on us. I was so proud of my son who served our country not because he had to but because he wanted to and gave his life for it. There aren't enough words or space here to convey how proud I was of my son and how he grew into the kind of man that people looked up to including me. I am so glad that my daughter Kristy and I went out to see him before he deployed and I will treasure those moments forever. My heart hurts so much but our support needs to go to his loving wife Crystal and their newborn son Talon Jefferey who will need all the support we can give them and more. Goodbye son, until we meet again.

Love,
Dad
(Richard Fletcher)

Sgt Blasjo's military awards and decorations include:

Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Army Commendation Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
NATO Medal
Special Forces Tab
Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutists Badge

"When he finished his training, he got pretty tough, pretty cut," he said.

When he made the decision to enter the military, Aaron asked his uncle what he thought. "I said I thought it was a wonderful thing," Darrell said.

"He had become a gentleman. He learned to open the door for other people. He had a greater presence about himself and awareness that you don't see especially among today's youth. He was a very positive force, just his overall presence."

His uncle said that Aaron once told him there were three highlights of his life. The first was the birth of his son in March. The second was the first time he leapt from an airplane in training. "And the other was taking my car to the prom," Darrell Blasjo said. "He liked my car. It's the last year of the Trans Am, a 2002 convertible collector's edition. I let him take it for his prom."

SGT Blasjo is survived by his mother, Bobbi ; father, Richard ; wife, Crystal and son, Talon.

Army Sgt. Aaron J Blasjo was killed in action on 5/29/11.